I sure hope all the US based companies are quick to comply, or a new "terrorist threat" will suddenly appear, some country gets bombed and that will serve as justification to force everyone into wanting this because, you know, it's in everyone's best interest, it's the national security that is in stake.

So all of the real criminals utilizing the internet, the ones who are already encrypting or coding messages in a way that they will not be cracked, will continue to do so just fine, business as usual. But for everyone else who has no idea how to do such a thing, they lose freedom, privacy, and security.

The general citizens of a country aren't the ones who cause problems with the country, yet the privacy of general citizens continues to decrease.As the privacy of citizens decreases, the corruption of government increases.

The officials of a country are the ones who cause problems with the country, yet their privacy continues to increase.As the privacy of officials increases, the corruption of government increases. ( I understand the impact of big business, but big business gets away with things because of the corruption of officials. )

Government shouldn't be an empire building privilege. It should be a sacrifice. The thing being sacrificed should at least be the privacy that allows government officials to continue ruining the country. We don't need surveillance on the common citizen. We need surveillance on the actual people causing problem. Every government email, phone call, penny spent, closed doors meeting, internet traffic, all should be totally exposed and available. If the exposure of some system or approach endangers the freedom of the citizenry, then a plan to move off that system needs to be developed. Citizens shouldn't fear their government, and they shouldn't be in the dark constantly about what the corruption of their government is carrying out.

A plaque needs to hang in every government building, in every room that says something along the lines of:

Quote

Privacy is freedom.Freedom is security.

I consider the impact on the citizens of the United States before I take any action.I consider the impact on the citizens of the United States before I support any legislation.The reason my occupation exists is to protect the freedom of the citizens of the United States.

The greater good is a pursuit to keep freedom intact.

So what is it that breaks this approach to government? Is it the fact that other governments are corrupt too and will just take advantage of it? Are we afraid of other governments stealing weapon technology and using it against us?

If the cost of protecting weapon technology is to operate a government that will inevitably lead to police state, is it really worth it?

So all of the real criminals utilizing the internet, the ones who are already encrypting or coding messages in a way that they will not be cracked, will continue to do so just fine, business as usual. But for everyone else who has no idea how to do such a thing, they lose freedom, privacy, and security.

The general citizens of a country aren't the ones who cause problems with the country, yet the privacy of general citizens continues to decrease.

Yes, but the general citizens of a country are the ones that get taxed to feed the parasitic class.

"We will not find a solution to political problems in cryptography, but we can win a major battle in the arms race and gain a new territory of freedom for several years.

Governments are good at cutting off the heads of a centrally controlled networks, but pure P2P networks are holding their own."

“Privacy is ultimately about liberty while surveillance is always about control”

Good morning my relations. Today is not such a great day. In the United States the Obama administration is actively seeking a new law to legally mandate the forced introduction of insecure back doors and support for mass surveillance into all communication systems. Specifically targeted are Internet VoIP and messaging systems.

Speaking on behalf of the GNU Telephony project, we do intend to openly defy such a law should it actually come to pass, so I want to be very clear on this statement. It is not simply that we will choose to publicly defy the imposition of such an illegitimate law, but that we will explicitly continue to publicly develop and distribute free software (that is software that offers the freedom to use, inspect, and modify) enabling secure peer-to-peer communication privacy through encryption that is made available directly to anyone worldwide. Clearly such software is especially needed in those places, such as in the United States, where basic human freedoms and dignity seem most threatened.

In the United States the 4th amendment did not come about simply because it was impractical to directly spy on everyone on such a large scale. Nor does it end simply because it may now be technically feasible to do so. Communication privacy furthermore is essential to the normal functioning of free societies, whether speaking of whistle-blowers, journalists who have to protect their sources, human rights and peace activists engaging in legitimate political dissent, workers engaged in union organizing, or lawyers who must protect the confidentiality of their privileged communications with clients.

However, to fully appreciate the effect of such surveillance on human societies, imagine being among several hundred million people who wake up each day having to prove they are not a “terrorist” by whatever arbitrary means the government has decided to both define the terms of such a crime and whatever arbitrary methods unknown to you that they might choose to define you as such, and where even your prosecution is carried out under the immunity of “state secrets” that all police states use to abuse of their own citizens. Such a society is one who’s very foundation is built on the premise of everyone being guilty until proven innocent and where due process does not exist. It is the imposition of such a illegitimate society that we choose to openly oppose, and to do so in this manner.

David Alexander SugarChief FacilitatorGNU Telephony﻿

AWESOME!!! Civil Disobedience for the win!!!

"We will not find a solution to political problems in cryptography, but we can win a major battle in the arms race and gain a new territory of freedom for several years.

Governments are good at cutting off the heads of a centrally controlled networks, but pure P2P networks are holding their own."